Almost Doesn't Count
by Shy and Crush
Summary: She didn't belong among them, but she was forced. She didn't enjoy that life, yet she couldn't leave it. She wasn't meant to love him, but she does.
1. Chapter 1

Almost Doesn't Count  
Prologue

The sky was gray and cloudy, raining heavily. It was, of course, the perfect day for a funeral. There wasn't anyone there except for four men all starring down at the fresh grave. One, the youngest, was sobbing on a brunette's shoulder, who in turn was crying quite loudly. Another, a lanky blonde, was leaning against a tree, tears in his own eyes. The last, a redhead on his knees was silently starring up at the sky. There were no tears on his face, only anger. There were no sobs in his throat, only silence, for it was his sister that they had just buried. 

---

They returned home to find a pale young girl sitting on their doorstep with a duffel bag held close to her chest. None of them recognized her even though they all knew who she was. She was to replace the girl they had just lost only days before. Omi pulled her to her feet and they went inside without speaking.

Aya went straight to his room; Youji went out saying something about cigarettes, leaving Omi and Ken to deal with the new comer. They sat in the living room; she toyed with the straps of the bag while Omi made tea.

"My name," She began, "Is Roxy Hunter. I was sent here by Manx to replace one of your members."

"I'm Omi and this is Ken. Youji is the one that just went out and Aya's the one that went upstairs," Omi gave her a patient smile, "Manx probably told you about the Koneko and everything, right?"

"Yeah." She said blankly.

"You are an assassin?" Ken asked her bluntly.

"Yeah." She said monotonously, as if she was used to being questioned.

"What do you fight with?" Ken asked her curiously. 

Roxy opened up the side pocket of the duffel and pulled out leather bound set of daggers. There were ten in total, all gleaming in the bright light, all had a diamond incased in the hilt with the letter 'R' carved in it, "They are good for close up and long-range."

"How old are you?" Omi asked as she returned the daggers to her bag.

"17."

"I suppose you'll be attending school with Omi. I guess you should share his room. Too bad for me, but it's lucky for you, bishounen. (1) " Youji said as he passed through the room.

---

As Youji decided Roxy was to stay with Omi. After unpacking a series of expensive looking clothing and letting Omi play with her daggers Roxy went downstairs and began to prepare some Mushroom soup. 

A few moments later Aya entered the kitchen and sat at the table completely ignoring her. He opened the newspaper and watched her from behind it, casually turning the pages. Roxy continued what she was doing as if she didn't notice. When the soup was finished Roxy plunked a bowl down infront of Aya before going upstairs for Omi to show her how to work his computer and such.

"She'll never be good enough," He told Youji when he entered a few minutes later.

"Sure she will." Youji smiled.

"If my sister wasn't good enough then she wont be good enough." Aya said as Youji sat down next to him and took his soup.

"This isn't about your sister anymore, Aya. This about the fact that we were short a member and we're not anymore. Besides, we are the White Knights and she is our damsel is distress." Youji gave him a mischievous smile.

---

"I have to go meet a friend for an hour or two, Roki-san (2). You can do that or whatever. Maybe Youji will show you around the Koneko or something." Omi gestured to the computer screen where Roxy was playing Star Craft just so he didn't feel as though he had wasted her time, "I have the opening shift tomorrow, would you help out?"

"Yeah sure." She said as she logged off and went downstairs with him to where Youji sat with Aya.

~Fin  
(1)- Bishounen means Pretty Boy in Japanese

(2)- Roxy in Japanese is Roki


	2. Chapter 2

"My God, is anyone home?!" Outside the Schwarz safe house stood a woman dressed all in white, clashing raven hair blowing in the breeze.

"Yes. We're home," blue midnight eyes peered out the now open the door. "You look for Shuldig?"

"No sweetie, I'm looking for Bradley Crawford," she tucked away a piece of hair behind her ear. "I believe he s expecting me."

~~~

"Gillian," glancing back to check on the boy standing outside the door, the girl in white offered her hand. "Master Takatori sent me," she laughed and removed her sunglasses.

"Yes I know," Crawford flipped through the new paper.

"He said you knew I was showing up today."

Another page turned.

"I've already read up on the thing tonight."

And another.

"Look, if your not going to talk to me or anything then why the hell did I have to come see you?"

"You'll go down to the training room, there you'll meet with Shuldig and Farfie.* Nagi will do briefing on the way down there."

"Fine," Gillian sighed, getting up and heading towards the doorway.

"Oh yes, Siren. Nice to see you again," with one glance over his paper, Crawford gave the young lady a slight smile. 

"Yeah, you to."

~~~

"So your Nagi huh? I've heard quite a lot about you," so far, Gillian had made no progress in creating conversation.

"From who?" Nagi kept his straight ahead.

"I duno, just people back at the labs. Your much cuter then any of them could seem to describe though," she grinned in his direction hoping he would take it as a complement. 

"I see," a half smile appeared on the young Schwarz physics' face, but he knew why they would refer to him as "cute"

"Look. I didn't mean it that way, " yielding, Gillian's aqua eyes sparkled in the dimmed lights.

"It's okay," Nagi sighed.

"Okay then, so if you don't mind me asking then, you got a girlfriend?

***

Wow that was insanely poor ^_^ remember you read this using your own time. No flames pwease, and if ya do flame me at least I know I'm being thought of…no? Please review toodles ~Shy


	3. Chapter 3

Almost Doesn't Count

Chapter Three   
By: *Crush*

"Good Morning, Roki-san!" Omi cried out cheerfully as Roxy came down the stairs in a black miniskirt, black tee shirt and knee-high combat boots. Her long blond hair hung straight down to her waist. The only thing that offset her mock gothic appearance was her determined gray eyes.

"Hey." She smiled briefly as she sat down across from him. Omi watched her as she painted her long curved nails silver. She deliberately held the brush at a distance and worked its way towards her. Long, black eyelashes flickered momentarily, her pale eyes filling with tears as she watched herself.

"Roxy?" Omi asked as the first tear fell down an ivory cheek.

Roxy didn't answer him. She didn't want to. Instead, she continued at her nails. She was almost completed both hands when Ken came down to join them. 

"Would you two like a ride today?" He pulled up a chair next to Roxy. 

---

"You live near Omi!" one of the girls squealed to Roxy at lunch. Roxy had long since forgotten the preppy girl's name, it didn't matter to the blonde assassin.

"I live in the same house as Omi." She said monotonely. 

"What's his deal?" Another girl piped up.

"Yeah, is he gay or something?" Roxy perked up at this question, she was beginning to enjoy school.

"Maybe. Why do you ask?" She smirked. Yes, she was definitely beginning to see the fun in high school. 

---

"What do you think of this dress?" Roxy asked Omi that evening. She held up a forest green velvet dress. It was sleeveless with a v-neck, it went to her ankles with a thigh high slits on each side. A pair of black sandals were thrown carelessly to the side. 

"It's nice." Omi laughed as a message popped up on the screen.

"Who's that?" Roxy leaned over his shoulder, "You're boyfriend?"

"NO!" Omi screeched and shut off the monitor, "I mean no." 

"Ok…" Roxy walked back over to the small walk-in closet the two shared, "Red or green?"

"Green." Omi turned towards Roxy as she came out in the dress, "You think you'll be able to pull this off?"

"Of course!" Roxy laughed as she began to brush her hair. She pulled the front half back into a black star shaped clip, silver and jade earrings made their way into the three holes she had on each side and a silver mesh purse containing a headset completed the outfit, "What do you think?"

"Looks good." Omi stood up and went to a trunk beside his bed. He pulled out the bottom and began to count darts. Six made their way into his holsters. 

"Take these with you." Roxy handed him a duffel bag before grabbing the sandals, she glanced at the heels for a moment, "I am not going to be able to walk." 

"Just lean on Youji." Omi laughed. 

---

"This is horrid." Roxy muttered across the table at Youji. They had sat at the table for the past two hours and Takatori still hadn't appeared. She pulled the headset out of the purse and slipped it gently into her left ear, a mouthpiece hanging beside her mouth, "Siberian!" she hissed, "This is Lynx." 

"Yes?" Ken's voice answered quietly from his place on the roof. Roxy could hear the wind and rain as it swirled around him. 

"There has been no sign of him." 

"Hmmm," Roxy heard a detached note of worry as Ken muttered something to Aya beside him, "Go find Bombay in the office and have Balinese prepare to search the mansion for him."

"Right."

---

"It's been too long, Omi." The boy whispered as Omi gently wrapped his arms around his waist, "We can't keep this up."

"Sure we can, Nagi." Omi gave the boy a gentle kiss on the forehead. Before they could do more the door opened and Roxy waltzed in. She stopped dead at the sight of the two boys.

"Omi, I was just joking about the boyfriend thing," She gasped, "You didn't actually have to go get one!"

"Roxy, I…" Omi began. 

~TBC


End file.
